About Unity Temple, Oak Park, Illinois

In the Fall of 1905, Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to design a new house of worship for what is now the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation after their previous church burned down as a result of a lightning strike. Unity Temple was built between 1906-1908 and was dedicated in 1909. Unity Temple is more than a place of worship: it is a museum that attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world; it is a venue for cultural and educational programming; it is a source of inspiration for artists, architects and students; and it is an icon of modern architecture. In 1970, Unity Temple was designated a National Historic Landmark, and in July 2019, Unity Temple, along with seven other Wright sites, became one of only 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the United States.

Dates Active: 1909-present
Tradition: Unitarian Universalist
Architect(s): Frank Lloyd Wright
Photography: Christopher Allison and Jonathan Noble
For further research: Unity Temple

Click below to see our in-progress interactive historical tour of Unity Temple.